Nordmende Arabella

Version 2)
The technology no longer exists or is irreparable. Nevertheless, the chest would be very suitable as a stereo system. In this case we would install an alternative amplifier or receiver and then connect Max2Play to it (this variant has not yet emerged for us).

Version 3)
There is no longer any technology available, or the use of the existing technology would not make sense. Here we build a complete house bar (see article house bar) without Hi-Fi functions. Variant 3 has the advantage that more space is available for the actual bar. Nevertheless, we can install smart elements and also USB or Qi charging stations on request.

Fortunately, variant 1 was available for this upcycling project!

The Max2Play system and built-in filament LED

We wanted to install the Max2Play system under the place of the turntable. In addition, we had to remove the flaked paint and to revise the radio part. Fortunately, it was still in very good condition, and so we could continue to use it. Some people believe that these old devices cannot keep up with modern ones, but this is a mistake! As soon as you make the effort to completely rework everything, you are impressed by the great sound! We heard sounds from familiar music that we hadn't heard before. The Arabella shows its full potential, especially when it comes to piano pieces!

We converted the lighting of the compartments to modern filament LEDs. The E14 bulbs were smaller and slimmer. For this filament LED, we had to saw the socket to fit so that we can used the wider lamp.

Troubleshooting

You can see two tubes here, which serve as amplifiers for the left and right channels. The left had hardly any contact and thus also missed its intended purpose. It is also worth mentioning that we equipped the bar's audio component with a tube amplifier, and thus produces a particularly warm and soft sound.

Dialand function test

Here we see the dial from the North Mende Arabella. We removed it, cleaned it and polished the dial. In the end, we reassembled all parts. Then we did another functional check: the radio ran perfectly!

Spacermade by ourselves

So we had to made a stabilizer. For this we prepared a simple spacer using a 3D printer and finally made it ourselves. After the installation, we unfortunately had to find out that the spacer was visible on the inside and that it could unfortunately be seen through the frosted glass.

Installation of LED stripsthe lighting works

We therefore installed LED strips with their own USB power supply and had to redesign a lower part (base) of the stabilizer for this. After three tries, it worked! This was created in white PLA on the 3D printer and glued to the LED strip and the stabilizer.

Setting up the systemand incorporating technical gimmicks

The Max2Play system initially consists of a Raspberry Pi with the Max2Play software.

In the first step, we only connected the Raspberry with the software plus an external disk and set up the system. To do this, we first had to set up the WLAN connection, as it should ultimately work without a LAN cable. Then another test followed: does it even work to connect the system to the radio? Yes, the rehearsal of songs by the British band “Anathema” (e.g., Weather Systems) was successful! We have rarely heard the piano so brilliantly. We connected the Raspberry to the audio tape input of the radio using an adapter cable, et voilà: it worked perfectly! So we ordered a HiFiBerry DAC2 HD along with a metal housing for the entire system.

We also find it important that you can disconnect the tube radio from the power if necessary in order to remove the sometimes unpleasant humming. When you switch the system on, this can be recognized by the illuminated main switch. We also have a USB socket in the left compartment, next to the main switch. For example, you can charge smartphones, etc. You can also switch this socket on and off via the main switch. The Raspberry has its own power supply unit for the power supply. We supplied the LED lighting and the USB socket by another power supply unit. Both get enough power!

Lacquer work

The paint had peeled off a bit on the sides. After consulting with restoration colleagues, we unfortunately found that this paint could no longer be saved. Our tip at this point: carefully remove the paint with a soft piece of wood. That worked really well! We carefully scraped off the somewhat firmer paint with the blunt side of a pair of scissors. Then we sanded down the wood very carefully with 600 grit sandpaper.

Treatment of the smooth wooden surfaceswith a beautiful result

We first cleaned it with a damp cloth and wiped it dry with a very fine cloth. Then we treated all smooth surfaces with Herrmann Sachse “veil-free”. This agent removes scratches and ensures a wonderful finish. In the end, the Arabella shone in new splendor and was set up at home as a demonstration device.